Bethlehem Library Notes for Wednesday, October 2, 2019

As a retired University at Albany professor of Africana Studies, Delmar resident Dr. Maurice Thornton has spent many years sharing the stories of African Americans throughout history. Earlier this spring, he decided to turn his focus to the men and women who make up his own ancestral history, writing and publishing the 160-page “The Thornton Family.”

The book details the family’s perseverance in the face of unemployment, segregation, and the tumultuous Civil Rights Era, stretching back from the time of his great-grandparents in the mid-1800s to the present day.

Thornton will be at the library on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. to share some of these stories and talk about the work that went into researching, writing, and publishing his family’s history.

Thornton, a veteran of the Korean War, is also a leading member of the 369th Veterans Association, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the story of the all-African-American 369th Infantry Regiment (the Harlem Hellfighters) and instrumental in obtaining the Medal of Honor for local World War I hero Henry Johnson.

Thornton was part of the historic March on Washington in August 1962 during the Civil Rights Movement and attended President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address as Congressman Paul Tonko’s official guest.

A time for questions will follow his talk. People of all ages are welcome to attend.

Sing along with the Delmariners

Local musicians Phil Teunim, Ron Tweedy, and Will Vail, also known as the Delmariners, return to the library Friday, Oct. 4, for a folk concert sing-along.

The performance is part of the Coffee and Conversation series, which features a variety of Friday afternoon performances and lectures for adults throughout the year. The concert begins at 1 p.m. and will be followed by light refreshments. Coffee and Conversation is co-sponsored by Bethlehem Senior Projects, Inc.

Learn how to eat well

Join us Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. for the first of four “Dining with Diabetes” sessions featuring a nutrition educator from Cornell Cooperative Extension. Learn multiple ways for diabetics to manage their health through menu planning, carb counting, portion control and label reading. Food samples will be available.

Subsequent “Dining with Diabetes” sessions will take place Oct. 16, 23 and 30. Come to one or more; there will be different topics and food samples to try each week.

On display

During the month of October, the library’s hallway exhibit space will feature historical photos of Bethlehem from Town Historian Susan Leath, as well as photographs, watercolors, and mixed media by David Gerard.

Do you have artwork or a collection you would like to share with others? The library has three different display and exhibit spaces available to the public on a first-come basis. It is easy to sign up through www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org by clicking on the “Book a Space” tab, or visit the Information Desk to see what is available.